Kakashi's Cat
by Chris91113
Summary: I've been thiniking of this story for some time. Get the pun 'Copy Cat? Some Kakashi Gaiden inside. FINALLY FINISHED!
1. Meeting

Kakashi's Cat

Part 1: Meeting

_Say as little as possible while appearing to be awake._

_William P. Rogers (1913-2001)_

This takes place five years before the _Naruto_ series begins. (I think _Naruto_ and his friends are about seven years old at this time.) Anyway, this starts off with Kakashi Hatake finishing off a mission…

"Thanks for everything! We couldn't have done anything without your help!" the people were cheering at the gates. They were seeing off the group of elite ninjas (jounins) that had been sent from the great Konoha village. The enemies had been driven off and were now fleeing for their lives. Many lives had been lost and houses had been destroyed, but they were going to rebuild everything again.

"You're welcome! Goodbye for now!" Kakashi called. Iruka grunted and pushed him toward the way home. Then, in one swift movement, the four heroes jumped through the trees toward Konoha.

o0o0o0o0o0

"Man, that mission took forever to finish! I'm glad that at least everything is back to normal now", Iruka sighed. It had been two weeks since he left Konoha and wanted to get back for a nice hot bath. Oh, and a steaming bowl of ramen would do, too…

Of course, he was also the teacher to the incoming genins, so he had to see if they had been practicing or not.

_'Naruto most likely hasn't, but I still have faith in him… Oh, he might also ask for me to buy him more ramen.__ Damn, my salary is going to take another hit. I still marvel at all of those bowls of ramen he can eat…'_

"Iruka, are you daydreaming?" Asuma remarked.

"Hell, no way, Asuma! Why should I?"

"I don't know; you look like you're going to puke."

_'I look sick just thinking about my salary dropping again?'_

"Ho, I feel young again! Can the rest of you feel it too? Hm, in fact I feel so great I think that nothing can stop me today! Even Kakashi himself can't stop **me**!" Gai raved.

Kakashi paled while he thought _'I have no intention to, but the tree in front of you might__.'_

Asuma remarked, "Gai, I must say that you are pretty active today."

_'I wish he wouldn't…'_ Iruka and Kakashi sweat dropped.

"Oh, what a beautiful day it is! This is the perfect day to warm up and show off my style! Watch this, everyone!" Gai took a leap across a clearing.

"Nothing can stop me-"

**Smash!**

Gai fell down from the tree that had decided to stop him. Asuma, Iruka and Kakashi jumped down and decided that he was still alive.

_'Thank god for irony…'_ they all sweat dropped and shared a sigh.

o0o0o0o0o0

They started off again; however, Kakashi had Gai on his back and was silently sulking. Iruka and Asuma were careful not to make eye contact with him. They had managed to persuade him to take Gai on _his _back despite his numerous protests at why they couldn't do it.

_"Kakashi, you know that you're the only one who can really deal with Gai", Iruka said carefully._

_"Why can't we just wait for him to wake up?" Kakashi had protested._

_"We really need to get home as fast as we can. Besides, it's better to keep Gai asleep", __Asuma __intervened._

_"I'll buy you dinner if you carry him", Iruka said slyly. __Asuma __added to the effect by staring__at him pitifully. _

Well then, guess what? Kakashi had to take that bribe even though he should've just kept complaining.

The only thing he could do to help himself was shoot daggers at the two traitors… mentally. Kakashi smirked as he imagined their scared faces and screams.

_'Not bad… no__t a bad image at all…' _

"Hold it you guys, someone's up ahead", Iruka warned. The ninjas jumped down from the trees and faced the person.

He had on a scratched Konoha forehead protector which held up his spiky black hair. He wore a long black robe with red clouds on it. Kakashi noticed the ring on his right hand that said 'Scarlet'. He looked up to see the rare mangekyou sharingans.

"Itachi Uchiha, what are you doing here?" Kakashi growled.

o0o0o0o0o0

Itachi didn't move a muscle. It was supposed to be a simple attack, not a blood bath. He simply stared at the ninjas in front of him. The target was one of them, as Kisame had told him. It hadn't taken too long for them to come and he needed to put his plan in action…

"Hello there, Konoha ninjas", he stated in a husky voice.

They were in defense mode, like cats with their hackles raised, their fur raised up, trying to make themselves bigger than they really were.

How pathetic.

_'It seems that one of them has already been knocked out. Interesting lump on his head…'_

Without warning, Itachi glided toward the group and paused behind Kakashi with a fist raised.

"Die", he said and went in for the kill.

His fist made contact with Kakashi's back.

Kakashi disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

_'A shadow clone…'_

Itachi dodged the attacks the weak jounins threw his way. He only had eyes for the target, since it was crucial to make sure that he was out of the picture. He waited and then shot out small needles that punctured their bodies, but they still fought on.

_'__Go, now is your chance!'_

Itachi felt a kunai stab his arm and he pretended to falter. As they closed in, Kisame jumped out from the ground and attack the Konoha ninjas with his blade. The blade made huge cuts on the Konoha ninjas and gave Itachi the chance to run.

_'Fools…'_

He met Kisame at the designated meeting place and they contemplated on how the ambush went.

"That went pretty well, Itachi. However, your arm got hurt by the kunai", Kisame smiled.

"It doesn't matter now. The mission went well and in no time, the target will be out of the picture. Then we can start the real attack", Itachi stated.

For now they would wait, rest up and train. When everything was set in place, they would begin the assault.

_'I can hardly wait…'_

o0o0o0o0o0

"Well gentlemen, all of your visuals seem to be fine", the doctor told the group. After the attack, they had rushed to the nearest hospital to make sure Gai was okay. He was snoring quietly in a hospital bed and was going to be released later that day, despite the large lump on his head.

"Something was a little weird with Itachi today", Iruka commented. He had a bandage over his right hand where some of the needles had hit him.

"You're going to say that Itachi doesn't use needles?" Kakashi asked. He had a bandage over his right wrist. He was going with Iruka to the ramen shop for dinner. Asuma had declined because he wanted to rest, since he had a bandage on his left hand.

"Yes, but I guess it doesn't matter now. We can relax now that our mission is over", Iruka smiled.

"Actually, **I** can relax because you have to teach tomorrow, right?" Kakashi rubbed in.

"Damn, I forgot! Why did you have to remind me again, Kakashi?" Iruka groaned. Kakashi dodged the punch he threw at him.

"Now that's really weak, Iruka", Kakashi teased and ran ahead of the annoyed Iruka to the ramen shop first.

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_Back stage, __Scene 1_:

**Smash!**

_Gai fell down from the tree that had decided to stop him._

Asuma: That's the wrong tree, Gai! You have to hit the one that's different from the rest!

Kakashi: (a vein shows) That is ridiculous; aren't all of the trees the same?!

Iruka: (sweat drops) Actually, they aren't all the same. The tree that has to hit Gai is an ash tree. The rest of the trees are birches. So technically-

(The crew sweats drops and Gai complains that it has to do with the filming)

Kakashi: **Hello, Iruka without brains!** We don't need a science lesson now!

Iruka: Oh, I'm the one without brains? Look at you; **you** have a weird desire for milk cartons. 1

Kakashi: I thought I told you to keep that away from the public… How dare you reveal my darkest secret…?

Iruka: It's the writer over there that's giving away your **most precious** and **enduring **secret. (scoffs)

Kakashi: Chris, you better come back here! (runs after me and I hide behind Itachi, who has just come).

Itachi: (cold eyes) Okay…

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_Scene 2:_

_He waited and then shot out small needles that punctured their bodies, but they still fought on._

(Everyone turns into logs) 2

Itachi: What the-?! (looks at me)

Chris: Why are you looking at me?

Itachi: Where is everyone?

Chris: I think they went out for ramen…

(Everyone comes in with coffee and donuts)

Boss M: Hey Itachi, how's the scene going? You've been doing the same one for half an hour already. Will you move it already?! 3

(Gai runs around doing various embarrassing things that I'll never put down on paper)

(Itachi is giving me the evil eye)

Chris: (inches away because I don't want to get caught in a genjutsu) I'll speak to the bosses… (runs away)

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_

1- On the _Naruto Abridged Series_, Kakashi has a weird thing for Naruto's milk carton…

2- On the _Abridged Series_, Sasuke has a problem with logs, too. (Brotherly love, huh?)

3- Oh, I forgot to introduce my boss. (I actually have two bosses. I'll only put down a letter for their names. They like their privacy…) Anyway, they have power over me and the whole crew to a certain extent… (Hint: They are ninjas…)

Oh yeah… all of you are probably asking "Where's the cat?" Don't worry; she/he will be here in the next chapter. sweat drops I haven't chosen the gender yet…

Kakashi: You didn't explain why I even have a cat.

Me: How did you get in here!

Kakashi: I am a ninja… o0

Me: **Okay**…


	2. A new roomate

Kakashi's Cat

Part 2: A new roommate

_A friend is a second self._

_(Aristotle, 384-322 B.C.)_

_Here's the next chapter! Take a look! (I don't own the Naruto Series!)_

Kakashi walked back to his apartment with a full stomach. He was quietly chuckling over Iruka's latest efforts to try and see what was underneath his mask. After paying for the ramen, Iruka's sneaky eyes were on his face. Kakashi had managed to play it cool and was rewarded with a look of failure on Iruka's face.

He couldn't understand why almost everyone in Konoha wanted to look underneath his mask. Even if they did have a peek, it would be for naught. Besides, Kakashi Hatake wasn't the sort of person who would reveal something as personal as this willingly…

"Meow?" he heard behind him. He snuck a glance behind him.

The white cat was staring at him from behind. Its green eyes took in his only black one. Kakashi wondered if it was a stray, but the cat looked too neat to be one.

_'Maybe it got separated from its owners?'_

"What do you want, cat? My apartment is here", Kakashi said to break the pause.

_'Wait a __minute;__ I'm talking to a cat! __I__ can't possible understand it since it probably doesn't know Japanese or English!'_

Then he had a crazy idea to use the sharingan he had to interpret what was going on. He wasn't tired and there wasn't anyone around, so why not give it a shot?

After looking around, he moved up his forehead protector and showed his sharingan. The cat simply blinked in amusement and smirked.

"As I said before, what do you want cat?" Kakashi asked.

_Can I please__ stay with you for the time being?_

Kakashi took a step back.

What the-!

"Ah, I-I don't think so; don't you have any own-owners?" he stammered.

The cat started to clean itself and gave no other response. Kakashi sighed, feeling relieved that he probably needed to sleep more often. Still, he wondered if he could bring the cat with him…

Hell no! If he brought the cat in, trouble was sure to come! What if the furniture got scratched up or if it had rabies? Then he was going to have a lot to pay for…

Then again, it wasn't as if the cat didn't have owners. Maybe he could bring it in for the night and look around tomorrow.

But what if he got attached to-? No way! He was never going to get attached to this little… scruffy… possibly dirty and rabid cat. He could just leave the cat out here and it could find its own way home. After all, aren't cats usually smart?

Kakashi took big steps into the building to avoid waiting any longer. Yes, this was the right decision. He didn't have to take care of this animal anymore. Even though it may be someone's paragon… the paragon being stuck outside in the cold night… and it was going to rain later…

He ran down all five landings of the building without a second thought.

yuyuyu

"Why am I doing this?" Kakashi groaned. The feline was curled around his neck and was purring in contentment.

It was such an annoying cat! He was more of a dog person with his team of trained, talking dogs.

_I wonder what Pakkun would think of this issue?_

He suddenly had an image of a screaming Pakkun racing out of Konoha with the yowling cat behind him.

_Poor dog…_

"Ah well, here is my home", he said to the cat. It jumped off his shoulders and looked up.

It was a simple apartment. It had a living room, a bathroom, a kitchen, a dining room and a bedroom. There was also a small balcony in the living room that could fit two people. Sometimes, while checking his balance, Kakashi could jump onto the rooftop and look at the starry, night sky.

"You're not going into the living room!" Kakashi exclaimed. He grabbed the cat back by the scruff of its neck and went into the kitchen. He didn't want to see a shredded couch in the morning.

"I don't know if you're hungry because all I have are leftovers", he murmured into the refrigerator. The cat licked its paws daintily and gave him the look of _'feed me'_.

"Then you're drinking milk tonight", he decided. He poured some milk in a bowl and placed it on the floor. The cat began to drink, lapping up the liquid with a small tongue.

_Come to think of it, what's the gender? Did it even get all of its shots?_

"You're finished already? Okay, I'll show you the bedroom", he sighed and deposited the bowl into the kitchen sink.

The bedroom had his bed in one corner and a desk in-between two windows. There was also a small bookshelf containing random books from history to technique learning. The _Make-out Paradise_ series, however, was hiding underneath his bed.

"When I get back, this bed better not be torn", he warned. The cat, who was curled up in a ball on top of the covers, gave a sound like a snort. Ignoring it, Kakashi ducked into the bathroom.

o0o0o0o0o0

Iruka was still sulking, even though he was in his nice warm bed. If his mind wasn't so occupied at the moment, he'll already be snoring like a baby, oblivious to all other noises. However, he was wondering about that creepy mask Kakashi wore. Sure, many ninjas have worn masks or had bandages over their faces, some creepier then others. But what was Kakashi's reason for a mask?

He groaned as he remembered his failed attempt at the ramen shop. He had only turned around for two seconds to receive his bowl of ramen and when he got back, Kakashi was already finished. What a sneaky bastard he was!

But there was another question nagging at him. It seemed that Itachi had been waiting for the group to come. But why didn't he kill them all off? If he didn't, then why didn't Kisame? Why didn't they demand for information or something like that? Why did he give all of them minor wounds and then run off?

Something wasn't right, but he couldn't figure it out…

o0o0o0o0o0

Kakashi came out of the bathroom in his night clothes, praying that he didn't have to sleep on the floor tonight. His shoulders sagged down when he saw the bed in perfect condition. The only problem was that the cat was curled up on top of his pillow.

Now _that_ was definitely something he was never going to allow!

"Okay, that is close to crossing the line! Off the pillow, now!" he exclaimed. At the sound of his annoyed voice, the subject of his annoyance jumped ship.

_Now, where could he/she sleep?_

"For tonight, you'll have to take the bathroom. There's some newspaper in there if you have to go" he commanded. Obediently, the cat walked inside, pouting. Kakashi locked the door and collapsed on top of the bed.

"What a day…" he said and rubbed his forehead. He went under the covers and fell asleep.

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_Backstage, Scene 1__…_

_He ran down all five landings of the building without a second thought._

(Kakashi landed on top of his head at the bottom of the staircase.)

Boss N: CUT! Kakashi, what is the meaning of this?!

Iruka: Man, you must have eaten too much ramen. I thought you had a smaller stomach than that!

(Iruka notices that 'Kakashi' is actually a scarecrow.)1

Iruka: What the hell?

Kakashi: (Behind Iruka with a kunai at his back) What was it you said about my stomach?

Iruka: (doesn't reply, but punches him.)

(In ten minutes, both of them are being scolded and beaten up by Itachi, who is also the security guard for the scene.)

Boss M: All three of you are going to my office now! (They all got their salary cut short)

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_Scene 2…_

_"For tonight, you'll have to take the bathroom. There's some newspaper in there if you have to go" he commanded._

Iruka: That's animal abuse!

Kakashi: What was that?!

Iruka: You shouldn't lock up cats in bathrooms! They don't like being wet!

Kakashi: However, I don't want the furniture to be shredded!

Iruka: Buy more furniture! There's a sale at the store a block away from this studio!

Kakashi: But my salary got cut from our previous fight… Besides, aren't you a cat person?

Iruka: I'm actually someone who likes cats and dogs equally, unlike some people!

Kakashi: I bet that if I don't keep an eye on the cat, it'll destroy the furniture.

Iruka: It won't, so you'll have to pay for dinner!

Chris: Guys, we don't even know who won yet… The both of you are acting like Gai…

Iruka and Kakashi: Write up the next chapter already!

* * *

Thanks to Estonian-anime-chan! I just got out the first chapter and there's already a reply!

1- Depending on the kanji, Kakashi Hatake means something like "Scarecrow in a field".

Take a look!


	3. Inquire

Kakashi's Cat

Part 3: Inquire

_When I play with my cat, who knows if I am not a pastime to her more than she is to me._

_Georg Cristoph Lichtenberg_

Kakashi woke up and groaned a little as his eye tried to get use to the streaming sunlight hitting him through the windows. Groggily, he reached for his slippers and slowly went toward the bathroom. He opened the door.

And fell down, spread-eagled, onto the cold tiled floor.

His half-asleep mind didn't even register the fact that he was falling until his back felt the cold floor. Then he mentally woke up and sat upright, shivering slightly.

The annoying cat he had let into his apartment was curled up in his lap. It was rubbing its head against his chest, enjoying the warmth emitting from him. For the whole night, it had been sleeping on top of the cold toilet feeling mistreated yet happy that someone had been kind enough to give shelter.

Finally, Kakashi realized that a cat had knocked him down. A _cat_ had done what many of his (dead) enemies had wanted to do to him.

He pushed the cat off his lap and went to the kitchen, noticing that the cat followed him like a domestic (non-ninja) dog would do.

"Drat, all I have is milk and random leftovers for tonight's dinner", he said out loud. The cat began its morning cleaning, from its head to its tail.

"Here's the plan: we'll finish up the milk and go the nearest vet. I _may_leave you at the vet's office to get breakfast. Honestly, I don't know what cats can take in besides milk, cream and rats", he spoke, dividing the milk in half. He placed a bowl on the floor and the cat gave him a dirty look before lapping up the milk.

"What's with the look? All I can offer for now is milk. Oh, wait a minute; you're insulted by me saying you eat rats? Ok, I can deal with that", his voice quieted down.

Kakashi enjoyed many things, which was why he had many hobbies. However, even though he was the Copy-Cat ninja who can copy about 1,000 techniques, he wasn't really violent. Yes, he had killed many enemies, but never in cold blood. Wherever he went, his reputation as a great ninja made him look like he was only good at strategies, ninjutsu, gengutsu, taijutsu and copying things with his sorrowfully gotten sharingan. He was even being considered as the next in line for Hokage!

Yet even he gets tired (and sick) of his public image as a ninja. For some reason, no one saw him as a regular person. The kind of person who liked taking naps in the shadow of a tree. He was also the kind of person who can watch shooting stars whiz by, wishing on them and grinning automatically. The person who wanted peace and quiet to spread everywhere so everyone could observe each other and share smiles, a friend to a friend.

Now at this time, at the crack of dawn (about five in the morning), Kakashi felt safe and secure in his home. The only sounds were the ticking of the clock in the kitchen, the cat lapping up the milk and his own breathing. There were no nosy people around to try and peek at him, so he could drink without a care in the world. His eye went to the calendar underneath the clock. Today was Thursday, April 18. That meant that most of his fellow jounins were off on missions or teaching students. As a rule, ninjas who finished their missions had a break in-between them, so there was about two weeks of vacation for him.

"You must have been pretty hungry, kitty. You liked the bowl clean", he commented. He picked up the cat and went into the bedroom. He stared out at the horizon in a window. The sun was peeking out, reminding him of a small child playing hide and seek.

"I can't trust you in the living room, so you're staying here until I get out, understand?" he looked down. The cat was curled up on the desk.

_No problem_

"What the-! I really need to get more sleep!" Kakashi dismissed the fact that the cat could _probably_ talk. He went into the bathroom to think it over.

o0o0o0o0o0

"Those needles worked well, Itachi-san", Kisame said. They were resting in a cave to meet up with Sasori and Deidara. They were about fifty miles from Konoha and had been waiting for a day already.

"Don't thank me. It wasn't my idea to deal with the issue like that", Itachi said humbly.

"After all, Kakashi Hatake was starting to get on my nerves, anyway."

o0o0o0o0o0

"The next number is fifty. Number fifty, please take your cat and bring it into the office", the assistant yelled over the chaotic noise.

Kakashi had never heard such a terrible racket. The dogs were barking, the birds were squawking and almost all of the cats were yowling for no reason. The cat in his arms, however, just surveyed the scene with the eyes of an all-knowing expert.

_Where's an aspirin when you need it?_

Kakashi walked into the vet's office. The vet seemed to be close to insanity and was mumbling to himself. Kakashi simply gave him a pitiful look and laid the cat down onto the table.

"What's the problem?" the vet inquired.

"Um, you see, I found this cat wondering around without its owner. I just want to know the basic information about it and if there's someone looking for a missing cat", Kakashi stated.

After a brief examination of poking and prodding, opening the mouth, checking the eyes, ears and paws, the vet made out his answer. (After getting a swipe from a claw at his left hand)

"You have here a young female cat. She's not pregnant and she isn't sick. She seems to have all of her shots, but I don't remember treating her. I'll have to get a new folder for her", the vet announced.

As he walked out momentarily, Kakashi took another look at the cat. _She_(he was glad to find out) was looking at him, but he couldn't decipher it. Yet it felt as if she knew him…

"I'm afraid that there is nothing on a missing white cat. However, there are two more things I want to ask you", the vet came in.

"First of all, I noticed a strange thing on this cat's neck", the vet said. He pushed her head up a bit and Kakashi saw a marking that looked like a naruto sign.

"It's most likely a birth mark, but I wanted you to know just in case. I have her folder here, so I would like to know the name you're giving her", the vet asked.

"A name for this cat?" Kakashi thought hard. Then he realized that the cat seemed to be like one of his best friends, Rin. It seemed to be the best choice, even though it was painful to think about Rin. Both of them were peaceful and always had an air of calmness around them.

"Her name shall be Rin", he decided.

yuyuyu

"That collar seems to fit you well", Kakashi commented while walking out of the vet's place. Rin was wearing a red collar that had the basic info needed if she got lost. She was strutting around like a peacock, showing off her new accessory.

_Grumble!_

"Oh yea, I forgot about breakfast. Come on Rin, we're going to the supermarket", he said. Rin made a smile and followed her owner down the cluster of buildings.

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_Backstage…_

Iruka: Ha, in your face, Kakashi!

Kakashi: Not a word, Iruka!

Iruka: Rin didn't even scratch up your bed, so I win this bet! (See the previous chapter for the bet)

Kakashi: (depressed) Fine… where do you want to go?

Iruka: Let's go to the ramen shop. I am certain that I will be able to peek this time.

Kakashi: You do know you're scaring me, right?

Iruka: What are you talking about?

(Rin jumps onto Iruka's face and starts scratching)

Kakashi: (reading _Make-Out Paradise_) I owe you one, Rin! Thanks!

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own _Naruto_! 

This chapter is a little more serious then I had intended… and longer. Don't worry, these things do happen sometimes…


	4. Beginning Pains

Kakashi's Cat

Part 4: Beginning Pains

_Pain is part of the body's magic. It is the way the body transmits a sign to the brain that something is wrong._

_Norman Cousins (1912-1990)_

_This chapter is going to be a little more serious than before…_

Kakashi finished putting everything into the fridge. Rin was watching his every move, eyes full of concern. Just a few minutes ago, he had nearly dropped a container of milk when his right wrist began to hurt. Kakashi thought it was just a pulled muscle and had laughed it off, but Rin still stayed watchful over her new owner.

"Whew, that's the last of it. I had to buy three bagfuls of food", Kakashi spoke. It had only been two hours ago since the vet had said that Rin wasn't missed by anyone in Konoha. That seemed strange, but the only other theory was that Rin might have been a stray cat.

That could be true, but she was just not the image of one. She was too neat, too good-looking to be one. She didn't have rabies and she wasn't acting claustrophobic. She wasn't even trying to sneak past him or making loud noises or even scratching up the kitchen table. She must have been trained, but who was her trainer?

In other words, Rin was just too good to be true.

_When was the last time I visited the memorial?_

That questioned popped into Kakashi's head and his head dropped down. Nearly smothered memories passed through his mind for a moment before he pushed them back again.

"Rin… I think it's time I showed you something."

o0o0o0o0o0

"We're nearly there, Master Sasori", Deidara said. The duo was walking to where the other two members of Akatsuki were waiting.

"Sasori, Deidara… it's good to see you two again", Kisame greeted them.

"What took you so long?" Itachi demanded.

"Deidara, I thought that I told you that I hate making people wait!" Sasori groaned.

"We were trying out Master Sasori's poisonous needles. In my opinion, however, I think they're broken. The ninjas didn't even get hurt", Deidara said.

Sasori chuckled, "It's supposed to look like that, Deidara. But there is a lot more happening on the inside then outside."

o0o0o0o0o0

Kakashi was careful not to drop Rin as he leaped through the trees. She was nestled in his arms and seemed to enjoy watching the trees zoom by. Every now and then, she would extend a paw to bat at the branches.

"Here we are", Kakashi announced and gently dropped Rin down onto the ground. She trailed after him to the memorial.

He looked down at the names inscribed in stone of the many that had fallen during that terrible war. The images of the screaming, the bodies, the wounded… and all of that blood; blood had been all over the place, dripping, almost raining from the sky. His two best friends had been victims themselves. He would've been one too if Obito hadn't shoved him out the way.

_Obito Uchiha…_

He absentmindedly touched the area of his forehead protector where his sharingan was hidden. Then he looked down at the cat who was eyeing the stone.

Ever since he became her owner, he felt that she deserved to know and learn as his equal, not any lower. He would feel like a slave driver if he thought of her as ignorant and stupid. Every time he looked at her, she reminded him of the Rin he grew up with during his childhood. By giving the cat her name, he felt that she was really the cat and that he could hope for one moment that she hadn't died.

"You know what this is Rin? This is the gravestone, the only known resting place for every person who died in the Third Ninja World War", his voice shook.

"The names on this godforsaken _rock_ have the names of all of those screaming, dying, bloody heroes who tried to help Konoha. You know what; my friends are part of the people who died. My friends, who I could've saved but had to falter at the last possible minute, and I couldn't save them!

"Obito was the first one; he was only twelve when he died! I had to get hit by a rock in my blind spot and faint during a rock slide. Obito pushed me out of the way and got crushed instead of me! Because of that, he gave me his only intact sharingan. As for Rin- Oh, I don't want to think about that! I hate death so much! Sometimes, shinobi are supposed to cover up their feelings, but how do you do it if friends are the ones getting killed?"

Kakashi hadn't meant to get carried away. He felt tears running down his eye and wiped them away. Rin was rubbing against his legs as if to say _'Don't cry; your friends didn't die in vain. They wanted to help you.'_

"You're right, maybe I shouldn't be drowning in regret", Kakashi mumbled. He placed Rin around his neck to see if it would be easier. Come to think of it, it was more comfortable and it was nice to feel a purring cat around your neck.

He turned around and winced slightly as he felt a small pain shoot up his legs; most likely another pulled muscle. Then he went back to Konoha, his reality, all of his tears gone.

_Rin, I had let you down once. I won't do it again…_

o0o0o0o0o0

"Will you already tell us about those needles of yours, Master Sasori?!" Deidara yelled in frustration. He had been trying without success to understand more about the needles, which were a new creation and was still in the experimental stages.

Behind him, Kisame was holding in his laughter and was hiding his face into his arm. Itachi was smirking and knew that Sasori would have to tell. If he didn't, Deidara was going to eat his exploding clay in annoyance. If he died, they were going to have to look for another person to be Sasori's partner and that would take too much unnecessary time.

"Silence Deidara, I'll tell you", Sasori sighed.

_'__Annoying brat…__'_ Itachi thought.

"Simply, I made a new kind of poison. It's supposed to move slowly inside the victim's body. Why it moves slowly is to prolong the suffering. Come to think of it, the victim feels very little pain at the beginning. However, it'll progress to a level where it can cause as much pain as Itachi's Mankeyou Sharingans", Sasori stated, but Itachi sensed the vanity coming from those statements.

"But why on needles?" Deidara asked.

_'__Are you mental?__' _Itachi, Kisame and Sasori thought.

"Needles cause minimal damage, so the victim won't bother to really check for much poison. Still, if he does check, it has a chemical property that can camouflage itself for a day. There is no antidote in this whole place that can cure the poison, so I'm certain that the group you poisoned will drop dead soon, Itachi."

"Actually, only two of the needles were really poisoned, Sasori. The others were merely decoys."

"Then who did you poison, Itachi?"

"I got Kakashi with both of the needles. The poison will get rid of him and also give us more information on how the further use the poison."

"You really know how to be evil, Uchiha" Sasori laughed.

k3k3k3k3k3

_Backstage…_

_"But why on needles?" Deidara asked._

Sasori: Are you kidding me?!

Kisame: It's not that hard to figure out, you know! Poisoned needles… you know, hitting people with a poison that kills slowly on needles…

Deidara: That's not as stupid as your ridiculously huge sword, you know.

Kisame: My sword is just the right size for me! (He takes out his sword and starts crooning nonsense to it.)

Sasori: Now you've made Kisame mental, too!

Itachi :( starts walking away) _All_ of you people are mental…

Deidara: Itachi, you know what? I can be as emo as you if I wanted to!!

Sasori: That's never going to happen… (Sweat drops)

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own _Naruto_! 

What's going to happen to Kakashi now!? I hope he's going to be okay…


	5. Experimentation

Kakashi's Cat

Part 5: Experimentation

_People in the same boat should help each other._

_Saying (Chinese)_

_He was fighting against another man. __His outfit of black with red clouds suggested that he was an Akatsuki member. His moves were impressive with great hand-to-hand techniques. Kakashi, however, felt himself growing weaker. His left leg was dragging around; he hadn't gotten a chance to get rid of the kunai embedded in it. _

_'__Is this water I'm on… or am I already dead?__'_

_"That does it; I'll have to use…Raiki (Lightning Blade)!"_

_A glowing ball of__ concentrated__ blue chakra appeared in the palm of his hand. He ran forward and only managed to smash away the orange mask the stranger wore. It cracked off… but w__here's the face... everything i__s starting to get blurry…_

Kakashi sat upright in bed and gasped at the intense pain in his left leg. It felt like fire running up and down the joints. He closed his mouth to hold back the exclamation of pain that threatened to come out. He placed his hands over his mouth and waited for it to go away.

"Meow?" Rin asked. She walked up to his tense body from the foot of the bed. Kakashi had previously decided that the bathroom was too cold and hard for her to sleep in. Even though he considered it risky, he had allowed her to curl up in bed as long as long as she didn't scratch it up. (Hence, the scratching post in the far corner of the room.)

She curled up in his lap and felt his shivering from the pain. She checked to make sure his eye was closed and then began to concentrate. Green chakra glowed softly from the feline expert. With her help, the pain subsided and then vanished. With a sigh of relief, Kakashi went back down on his back, unaware of the fact that his cat knew medical ninjutsu. He scratched her back as he thought hard about this situation.

He knew that the only injuries he had gotten were from the enemy ninjas of his latest mission and Itachi's surprise attack with needles. He immediately dismissed the fact that any of the enemy ninjas from the mission had anything to do with the pain. He couldn't shake off the theory that Itachi had poisoned the needles. The best thing to do now was to visit the doctor in the morning.

_Wait a minute…_

Kakashi shifted his gaze to the window near the head of his bed. He groaned at the small rays of sunlight being held back by the curtains.

_NOW it has to be time__ to get up already? It must be 6__:30._

After changing his clothes and eating breakfast, he turned around and looked down at Rin into her eyes.

He spoke slowly, "I'm going out for a little bit. When I get back, there better not be a single mess _anywhere_. If you must sharpen your claws, use the scratching post, not the _couch_! The litter box is in the bathroom and food's in the fridge, got it?"

Rin gave him a sharp grin and simply rubbed against his legs, purring contently. Kakashi reached down to scratch her behind the ears and walked out.

yuyuyu

"Why is my body out of whack? The doctor says that I am a hundred percent well and that I probably need a vacation", Kakashi mumbled dejectedly. He had failed to mention to the doctor that he was already on break time and had also forgotten that it was 6:45 when the doctor had to come out. The scans had proven that there was no poison in his body anywhere.

He walked up all five landings off the apartment and silently said a prayer (that he could trust Rin) before opening the door. A flaming pain went up his spine and all he saw was darkness before the scene changed.

_He was instantly aware that he was running for his life. Huge boulders were raining down from the sky. For some reason, his left eye was in pain. He also noticed that his body felt different, almost as if he was yo__u__nger. He took a look around and was shocked to the bone._

_Obito was zigzagging around the boulders; he was alive, flesh and blood. On Kakashi's left side, a twelve year old Rin was moving around as graceful as silk .He couldn't believe that his friends were alive. His joy was short lived when he recognized what the scene really was._

_He felt a rock poke his left eye and he fell down in a faint. He thought he heard someone yell his name and a push to the chest. The only other sound was a terrible crunching sound, which suggested the most horrible thing of all…_

He woke up back to the reality of Rin licking his fingers and rubbing against his head. He felt a little relieved but freaked out at the same time. His joints were as heavy as lead and he could only move to a sitting position before he fainted out again.

_Damn __you… __Itachi__…_

o0o0o0o0o0

Rin wasn't a dumb cat. She tried to wake up Kakashi, but all he did was groan back.She realized that the strange prescence that had come from him begun to take over his body. She frowned and realized that she needed to get somebody over. Better yet, maybe one of his friends. She had seen pictures of him with several other people and knew that they had to be around somewhere in Konoha.

She ran down the stairs and flew out of the building. She climbed up to a rooftop and surveyed the people milling around beneath her. She finally spotted the black haired man covered in green with orange leggings coming out of a store.

_How can I get his attention?_

For a cat, the best way for attention is to cause trouble. No matter what you do, the more dangerous the crime is, the more attention you get.

She quietly jumped down the tree and smoothly walked behind the man. Then she jumped up and ripped off the bag on his belt.

"Hey, what the hell!" the man yelled and started to chase her. With the bag in her mouth, she began running up the apartment building; amazed at the speed he had. Yet, his whole attention was on her that he kept on tripping and bumping his head.

Eventually, they made it to the fifth floor and she tossed the bag into the air. It banged against the open door and made Kakashi start to wake.

"Gai-kun… is that you?" he murmured quietly.

"Kakashi, your cat stole my bag and I demand it back! It had to lead me on a wild goose chase and made me get bruises all over the- Kakashi, are you okay? I mean, did you get paralyzed?" Gai rambled.

"Yeah… I need a doctor… or at least a medical ninja. My joints…" he breathed.

"Don't worry over a thing! I'm stronger then you, so it'll be easy to get you to the hospital!" Gai boasted. He picked up Kakashi and threw him over his shoulder.

_Oh no, I'm going to get even more sick!_

Gai ran to Kakashi's bedroom and jumped out one of the windows, knocking Rin into the same direction.

Now, if Kakashi could've opened his mouth, he would've screamed loud enough for all of Konoha to hear. An example of what he would've said is as follows: _"Gai__, stop it! You know I shouldn't be running to the hospital in this fashion!! Just remember, when I get out, you better run your ass off!"_ Mercifully, Kakashi fainted out before Gai landed onto the ground because of 'mental shock', as the doctor treating him would later determine.

"Oh, this is the life! Being youthful has its advantages! I know that everything is under control!" Gai exclaimed, oblivious to all distractions.

Too bad Gai didn't take a second look behind him to notice that inside Kakashi's apartment, a yowling cat was hanging upside down from the (ruined and torn) window curtains.

k3k3k3k3k3

_Backstage, __After__ all of the work__…_

(Gai is resting in a chair.)

Gai: That was so amazing. Youth is wonderful even when you have to help the people you hate!

(Kakashi is throwing up into a garbage can.)

Kakashi: Gai, that was a bit too much. I feel terrible.

(Rin sneaks up behind Gai… and pow! She jumps onto his head, yowling like the devil!)

Gai: Help! Kakashi, get your dumb cat off me!

(Kakashi is reading _Make-Out Paradise_… again.)

Kakashi: (icily) You deserve it. Every single last claw swipe is what you deserve.

(Boss M and Boss N pretend that nothing is happening and goes outside to buy ramen for dinner.)

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own _Naruto_! 

If anyone watches the Shippuden series, on episode 32 (I think), Kakashi gets an unwanted piggy back ride by Gai. It is actually funnier to see the reactions that Tenten, Neji, Naruto, Sakura and Lee have to this strange sight!

Why did Rin get such a terrible fate by the window curtains?!

More importantly, is Kakashi going to survive the Akatsuki's experiment!?


	6. Intensify

Kakashi's Cat

Part 6: Intensify

_Man is man and master of his fate._

_Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)_

"Gang way; gang way! Out of my way! Step away from the mighty power of YOUTH!!" Gai roared.

He ran into the hospital's lobby and skidded to a halt in front of the receptionist's desk. The receptionist, who had no life, asked in a monotone voice, "Can I help you?"

"Oh, I'm not sick! Actually, I think it's better if you take care of my friend… err, rival over here", Gai said before he realized that no one was on his back.

Kakashi was on _his_ back, spread eagled on the floor. He was all dusty and messy from Gai's hasty running. He was dizzy and his vision was distorted.

"Send a stretcher to the lobby for a paralyzed, mentally shocked person who needs help", the receptionist spoke into the phone.

o0o0o0o0o0

Iruka was sent to investigate the mysterious, ghastly sounds being heard all over Konoha. It was disturbing the peace and the Hokage wanted to know what was making it.

"Oh, so this is the demon everyone is scared of?" Iruka laughed. It was a hilarious sight. A white cat was hanging upside-down from the fifth floor of a building by window curtains. It was making up a storm of sounds for someone to let it down.

Iruka swiftly jumped up and brought the cat down, who stopped its terrible racket and began purring. He looked down at the red collar the cat wore.

"Let's see, your name is Rin and it seems… hey, Kakashi has a pet cat?! I thought he was a dog person!" Iruka exclaimed. Rin stuck her tongue out at that statement, pouting.

"Well, Kakashi is at the hospital at the moment. I don't think he'll mind if we visit."

o0o0o0o0o0

Kakashi groaned and woke up in a hospital bed. His body felt numb and heavy. He noticed that his arm was in a cast.

The door opened and Iruka came in with Rin in his arms.

"Hey Kakashi, I found your cat. She looked a little lonely, so she should with her owner."

"How did you find out about Rin?"

"She was yowling up a storm while hanging upside down by window curtains from a fifth floor window?"

"Cliché Iruka; that sounds like something Gai would do. I swear that when I get out, he's going to feel a kunai in his back."

Rin meowed softly and leaped onto the bed. She lay down into Kakashi's lap and closed her eyes.

"So what did the doctor say?"

"I just passed by the doctor a few minutes ago. He said that he was running some tests and that the results were coming in."

Kakashi wondered of how sick he could possibly be. Iruka was also attacked by Itachi, but he was still healthy. Gai too was attacked… but he was actually a different story.

"Iruka, I think that Itachi's attack is the reason of why I'm here."

"What; are you sure?"

"Well, my movements haven't been good and I've recently have had nightmares. I've been to the doctor's but there seems to be nothing wrong. Itachi would be the only person capable of making a poison that could weaken me this easily yet never show up in scans."

"Then why am I not affected?"

"Maybe he thought you weren't much of a nuisance to bother poisoning."

The doctor walked in with the scans. "Kakashi, I am so sorry. We have just seen a problem with the scans. There seems to be a disorder that is affecting all of the muscles in your body. They're starting to weaken, so you will stay here for the time being. If you're not careful, your heart may fail."

Then he said, "I'll have to take your cat with me. We'll have to check her medical history, but when we're through, we can bring her back."

Rin reluctantly let herself be picked up and carried out. The room was silent and then Kakashi said, "Damn."

o0o0o0o0o0

The doctor brought the cat into an office and locked the door. When he made sure that no one was around, he sighed and placed Rin on a table. Then he took off the medical mask he wore and smiled.

"It seems that Kakashi was in more trouble then I was told about. This was the perfect time for you to come visit him, Rin."

The cat gave him a look. The doctor smiled as he heard the words in his head: _Are you questioning my ability at medical ninjutsu?_

"No, but I was wondering if you could help him out with this problem."

_Of course I will. Just show me the scans and do what I say._

After an hour of looking and gathering items, they were finished. The doctor asked, "Are you ready?"

_Yes, but there's one more worry on my mind._

"What is it?"

_Won't this interfere with your job? You're not__ supposed to__ interfere with death._

"I was ordered specifically to help him out. Besides, he's our friend. Don't you have an obligation to help him?"

_Listen, I am going to help. I'll have to stay with him if things get worse. Hold on to the concoction I just made now until the worst is over. Don't get caught!_

"That's easy to do. Don't worry your head over me."

He placed the mask over his face again and pocketed the antidote. Picking up the cat, he walked back out into the hallway, smiling at the dangers that could happen.

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own _Naruto_! 

Readers please don't freak out! Everything shall be explained very soon!


	7. Where to go?

Kakashi's Cat

Part 7: Where to go?

_There are only two countries: heaven and hell; but two conditions of men: salvation and damnation._

_George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)_

Kakashi leaned down onto the bed and sighed. Rin purred in his lap, giving no thought to the world. The doctor had been here a minute ago, apologizing for taking the cat away. He didn't really bother Kakashi, but something about him just made him feel… weird.

_No, you're just crazy __again __from__ too much happening. Don't go the wrong way…_

But what was the right way? Was it with the living, where his fellow jounins were? Was it with the deceased, where Rin, Obito, Sensei and… father was?

Why was he thinking about dying now?! He had to fight back, to live, to breathe in the air, to train, to go on missions and see things happen… without emotions, like any great shinobi…

"You have a visitor", the doctor came in, escorting someone.

"Kakashi, how are you doing?! I'm sorry about before and- what the hell is wrong with you?" Gai exclaimed. Seeing the sudden fierceness in Kakashi's expression, the doctor made a hasty retreat. Rin hid under the covers, aware of her owner's displeasure.

"Hey Gai, there's something I've always wanted to tell you. Please bring your ear here." Kakashi said slowly.

Gai, always too eager and rash at times, leaned in closer. He was always interested in any secret Kakashi wanted to entrust to him. They were rivals after all.

"Alright, listen to what I have to say…"

o0o0o0o0o0

The doctor was making a copy of the concoction. Yes, he wasn't supposed to do this, but it could be useful in the future. There really was no one who could stop him. A few actually, but many of them weren't human…

"She used some heavy metals for this… a lot of iron from this plant…calcium for the bones… potassium from this herb would give him strength against this event happening again… man, Rin is almost as great as Tsunade-not that I'm degrading her!... well, the copy is done."

He pocketed the potions and went back to Kakashi's room.

Walking down the hallway, he felt different in his opinion for the jounin. The last time they had met was… eight years ago? Yes, he had been an eager twelve year old and Kakashi had been the emotionless thirteen years old, the new jounin. They were true rivals, disgusted at their differences. No one could've guessed that even being on the same team, they could be friends…

He heard some inaudible noises coming from the room. Then the door opened up.

**"****AHHHHHHH?!?!****"**

The doctor ducked for cover as a body flew out of the room. The man he had brought in, Gai fell on the floor and rubbed his sore head.

"My goodness, what an unyouthful thing Kakashi had to do and say! Really he should learn some manners!" he moaned, making his way out of the hospital.

The doctor chuckled. Apparently, even though he was sick, Kakashi still had enough stamina to throw a person out of the room. Truth be told, even he hadn't liked Gai that much.

o0o0o0o0o0

_I'm glad that I said what I had to say and did what I had to do. Throwing Gai out of the room is definitely what the doctor ordered._

Kakashi was reflecting on the previous moments. When Gai had leaned closer to him, he had given him a mighty thrust out of the room while saying some pretty nasty words.

Yes, how childish of him.

He was a twenty-one year old jounin lying in what may be his deathbed. He didn't feel sorry and he hadn't kicked him to be mean; he wanted Gai to know how annoying he was being with the issue. In other words, Gai shouldn't stick his nose in things that he didn't have to know about.

The important thing was that he felt better.

"Hey Kakashi-san, it turns out that I'll have to be your doctor for this time. Your regular doctor is doing surgery on a shinobi who is having his ear amputated for some weird reason beyond my understanding", the annoying doctor came in. Kakashi simply stared back at him. Rin came out of her hiding place, relieved that the ruckus was over.

"You have to sleep now; doctor's orders."

"….."

"I'll give you this drug instead. It should help you sleep."

As the drug was sent into the IV, Kakashi asked, "Who are you?"

The doctor paused, than said, "I'm just a doctor, that's all."

That answer didn't appease Kakashi. "I mean, have we met before?"

"Kakashi-san, I think you need to sleep more", the doctor said as he walked out of the room.

Maybe he was feeling crazy, but what gives?

_Thump-Thump-Thump-!_

He couldn't make a sound as his heart began racing faster-then faster-faster-!

_What was going on?! _

_Heart attack…?_

His throat was dry and nothing he did could help it. He wanted to cry out in agony, but the drug…

He was feeling so _sleepy…_

_Beep-Beep-BEEP!_

o0o0o0o0o0

The beeping machine warned Rin of the incoming danger. It was so noisy and it made her worry. Jumping up, she saw that the lines showing his heart beat were coming in irregularly. Kakashi himself was breathing harshly, his hands gripping onto the mattress.

Damn, why did she agree to be a cat in the first place?!?!

"Hey Rin, I-Where's the electric thingy that's supposed to bring the heart back!" the doctor raced in. Clawing underneath the bed, Rin found the machine he had vaguely mentioned. Administering two shocks of electricity, Kakashi began to breathe better without interference.

"Now is the best time to do our work without interference. Close the windows, slam the doors, do whatever! Just cover the room in darkness!"

Rin bit onto the drapes and pulled. It was going to be one heck of a recovery.

o0o0o0o0o0

_Kakashi was in a strange place. He was standing on a huge river. In front of him, there was a small town. Behind him, there was mist._

_The town looked strange, yet had a feel of familiarity. Yes, he should go across._

_Yet something told him that he was leaving an important thing behind. Behind him, he had to leave and walk across._

_He didn't have to, but what else could he go to?_

o0o0o0o0o0

"Where's the feeding tube? It's not under the bed, but where- Oh, thanks."

Rin rolled her eyes. Her friend kept acting weirdly and he wasn't going to change. She was on top of Kakashi's chest injecting some of her chakra into him and taking out the bad substances. The poison was red with his blood and had the consistency of mud. It was sluggish to take out and there was a lot.

The doctor rolled up his sleeves. "I can't believe he actually went that far. I hope that sensei will keep him from harm. I can't look inside his mind now and neither can you. Damn, I hope no one tries to kill him."

o0o0o0o0o0

_"Hello there, Kakashi."_

_The voice came out of nowhere, or it seemed to Kakashi. He was near the shore where the town lay. Looking up, he saw a figure in a black cloak approaching him._

_"Do not enter the town. Do not step on the land or you will be lost forever."_

_He hadn't expected this to come from the stranger's mouth. It wasn't like he could stay on the water forever._

_"Why not? Can you please explain better?"_

_The stranger nodded. "Simply__ follow and I will explain."_

_Having no choice, Kakashi followed the stranger across the river the other way. The town behind him eventually vanished in the mist._

o0o0o0o0o0

Kakashi vomited again.

The doctor had administered some of the concoction and had removed the feeding tube to let him digest. His stomach was refusing to take it in and… well, you get the picture.

"Rin, can you make his stomach relax a bit? I'm going to give him the feeding tube again."

Rin concentrated. She was too tired to yell at him and claw his hand. Kakashi's heart was safe and so were most of the organs. She was working on the intestines and the stomach. They were giving her a problem and were pretty tricky to work with.

Who ever said that medical ninjas had it easy?

o0o0o0o0o0

_"But where am I?"_

_"This river __is divided between… __well;__ you can call it the living and dead. The town you were going to enter is the realm-no, the place where you usually go when you die. We are now heading back toward where your body lies."_

_Kakashi jumped slightly. "I'm dead, but why are__ we__ going this way?"_

_The stranger laughed dustily, as if he wasn'__t used to it. "__You are merely in a very deep sleep. Anymore and you would be dead.__ You are lucky."_

_"Who are you?"_

_"You'll know when we reach the other side. But let's just say that I know your friends well."_

_Kakashi started, anxious to know more._

_"You see, I have been with them for some time. In fact, we all have to live under one roof._

_"I still remember when Obito came for the first time. He was lost and was in danger of being taken away as a newcomer. So I offered help and he has been doing great._

_"Rin came later and Obito saved her before anyone tried to steal her for their own personal uses. That's why I can't let you enter the town. As a spirit not meant to die yet, there would be people who would separate you from your body before its time. You will never be happy and will not be able to go across this river anymore."_

_"I don't understand."_

_"I said before, you're merely asleep. Many before you have come here in a deep sleep. My job is to bring you all back to your lives and wait until you can come."_

_The stranger paused and looked up. The sky was a misty grey._

_"Many of the dead have strong regrets that they feel have to be finished before they move on. So they have the privilege of moving across the river without interference. Those that are alive and well can never find this place no matter how hard they try. It's better this way so everyone can enjoy life peacefully._

_"Come to think of it, I wonder how your friends are doing right now across the river."_

o0o0o0o0o0

Cat and human panted and rested in a chair. It had taken throughout the whole night.

But everything was doing well.

Kakashi was going to live.

That was all they had to know.

o0o0o0o0o0

_Kakashi saw the approaching shore. He felt relieved that he was soon going to be back in Konoha. He would be back with the annoying Gai, Iruka, the Sandaime… basically, the place he had always loved._

_He turned around and looked at the mist. He was leaving the people he had grown up with. They were dead, they were across the river, probably waiting to meet him again, catch up on old times._

_"There is only a 1 chance that you will end up like this again. I suggest that you don't try to come unless you're dead."_

_Kakashi stepped onto the ground. He turned around and faced the person who had helped him come this far._

_"One more thing… I didn't catch your name. You said I would know when we got here."_

_The stranger didn't reply. Everything started to become darker and the ground was changing._

_"Kakashi, you don't recognize me?"_

_The stranger sounded hurt. Kakashi didn't unde__rstand, did he know this person?_

_"You've known me your whole life and you've forgotten the sound of my voice?"_

_Kakashi wished that he would say it already. Everything was turning black and he couldn't see his feet anymore. Then his legs…_

_"It seems that I'll have to arrange another visit."_

_The blackness was up to his chest…_

_The stranger removed his hood and looked up._

_Kakashi gasped and his mind scrambled for an explanation._

_"…D…D… Dad… Dad, is that you?"_

_White Fang smiled at his son, the Copy Cat ninja. Father and son, Sakumo and Kakashi, kin to the Hatake family… one was dead and the other still alive, mourning for him._

_Sakumo lifted his right hand and said, "We'll meet again, son."_

_The blackness washed Kakashi away and he knew nothing else._

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own _Naruto_! 

What do you all think of this little twist I made up?

In case you don't know, Sakumo committed suicide after he failed a mission. (Kakashi was the only witness to this event.) Obito was crushed by a rock slide during a mission, which is how Kakashi got the sharingan. For some reason, no one knows how Rin died except Kishimoto himself.

I plan to make this the second-to-last chapter for this story. So be prepared if the next chapter is the last.

See you all!


	8. Recover

Kakashi's Cat

Part 8: Recover

_The treatment is really a cooperative effort of a trinity- the patient, the doctor, and the "inner doctor." – Ralph Bircher_

Kakashi fell off the bed and went on his funny bone; both of them, in fact.

Not a good thing to feel after having a traumatizing nightmare.

"ARGH, what the fu-hell is going on?"

A nurse came into the room. "Kakashi-san, why are you on the floor? Do you need help?"

"No thanks, I can get up", he groaned. Already embarrassed, he sat back onto the bed.

She looked around the room. "Have you seen Doctor Yuri around here? He was supposed to work with you until you left."

"That annoying doctor can be anywhere. Have you seen a white cat around here by the name of Rin?"

The nurse gave him a funny look.

"Pets aren't allowed in the hospital."

With that, she grabbed the clipboard attached to the end of the bed and left. Kakashi just stared at the open door.

What the hell just happened?

o0o0o0o0o0

"Rin, I want you to meet me at the clearing. I have one more business to take care of."

The cat smiled and took off. The doctor watched her form slink up onto the rooftops and vanish. Then he turned around and walked into a tea house. The person in the back of the house caught his attention.

"Why Itachi-san, what brings you here?" the doctor questioned. He took the seat in front of him and looked up. The said person looked up slowly from the hat on his head. The paper cuttings on the hat covered part of his face except the eyes, which were red and black with the sharingan.

"Your mother never told you to tell out other peoples' secrets, right?"

"Simply tell me why you are here."

"Akatsuki is curious to know how the procedure went with the poisoned needles. Did he die or stay alive?"

"I regret to say that the Copy Cat ninja is still alive. The needles are a complete failure."

Itachi sighed. "Thank you for that news. Honestly, I thought that it would never work in the first place. Oh well, Sasori will have to make a better poison for our goal to be reached."

He stood up and started walking. He stopped behind the doctor and murmured, "You will receive your payment when you get home tonight."

"All of the yen will be there?"

"I swear; all of it will be wrapped up on your doorstep."

The doctor flashed his white teeth. "It's great to work with your organization."

"I never started the organization. You have to thank Uchiha Madara for that kind of credit."

The two went down their separate paths. One went toward the hospital. The other went to re-group with his teammates.

yuyuyuyuyu

"Doctor Yuri, where have you been running off to this time?"

"Don't worry nurse; I am alive and healthy."

Said doctor walked down the hallway. He plastered a neutral expression on his face and went into Kakashi's room. The jounin was sitting at the edge of the bed looking down casted.

"Kakashi-san, I have great news. You are better again, so you can leave the hospital in half an hour."

Kakashi asked, "Doctor, have you seen my cat? For some reason, everyone around here thinks that I'm crazy. There's no record of Rin ever entering the hospital at all. It just says that Iruka came in for a visit." (Remember, Iruka brought Rin into the hospital to meet up with Kakashi.)

"I'm afraid that I haven't seen your cat around for some time. But the small package on your night stand could be a hint."

With that, the doctor left him alone. He was a smart guy; he was going to figure out as much as he could.

He walked down the stairs, went into an empty closet and locked himself in it.

The hallway was empty of witnesses. Even with witnesses around, he could still hide himself. He was able to detach himself from the real doctor's body and slip out of the closed door. He could already imagine the commotion the real Doctor Yuri was going to cause when he woke up.

Well, that didn't matter a bit.

His mission was complete, finish, over with until the next one came up.

_At least I'm getting a week off when I get back… Yeah, vacation time is definitely a great thing._

With that happy thought, Uchiha Obito grinned.

o0o0o0o0o0

Itachi reached the cave where the other three members were waiting for him. Kisame, Sasori and Deidara didn't notice him at first. Sasori and Deidara were having another heated argument on art. Kisame was too engrossed into the debate to notice Itachi.

"Art is immortal! It can't die! It will always live no matter what!"

"Art never lives forever. It grows and dies fast."

"You idiot, you are a terrorist bomber and I'm a puppeteer. How can we have the same point of view?"

"HEY GUYS, Itachi came back. How did everything go?" Kisame interrupted. The two of them fell silent, but kept pouting. Itachi nodded at everyone and took a seat on the floor next to Kisame.

"Our spy said that the poison was a failure. For unknown reasons, Kakashi's body was able to bring down the poison in his muscles and live."

He turned to Sasori and continued, "You must make a new kind of poison. I know that you are proud of your work, but don't mess up."

Kisame asked, "You left an exploding tag for the doctor instead of money, right?"

Itachi said, "He won't be telling any secrets from now on."

"Master Sasori, you must say now that I am the one who is right. After all, art will always be a blast!"

"Deidara, do I have to go over this debate again?"

The four of them waited inside the cave, plotting the downfall of the world that was going to be in their grasp. Two of them argued relentlessly while the others took down notes.

o0o0o0o0o0

Kakashi walked out of the hospital unscathed, but with a heavy heart. He had a pet cat for three whole days, but she was gone forever now.

The collar in his hand proved that point even more. The package that had been pointed out to him not only had the collar, but had a note with it that disturbed him more. It had one sentence:

_Things are never what they seem to be._

Running a little, he managed to catch up with the messenger ninja. She looked at him, wondering what she had to deliver.

"Can you please deliver this small package to the Village of Waves? It's for a friend there."

The ninja nodded and ran out of the gates. Kakashi watched until she was dust in the horizon. He turned around and headed back toward town. As he walked, he placed the collar into his pocket. He would later leave it in his bookshelf as a fleeting memory.

"Let's see, I think I'll have my lunch at Ichiraku's Ramen Bar today… I heard that they're having a discount on the naruto ramen with pork if you eat two bowls of it…"

o0o0o0o0o0

Obito ran swiftly on top of the huge river. He was glad to be out of someone else's body and do whatever he pleased.

Rin, free from her cat disguise, ran next to him. She was really annoyed, something that rarely happened at all.

"Why did you convince me to be a cat? I never knew how tedious it could be without thumbs and the ability to speak."

"I never convince you. You begged me to be like that. Besides, being an animal will get me into less trouble then if you visited Kakashi as a human. Come to think of it, the boss is going to eat my ass for supper when I meet her again. I'm not supposed to do these kinds of things, you know."

"But why do you disobey her then?"

"I have a heart that bleeds easily."

They were reaching the shore of the town. A familiar face was sitting near the water, watching them approach.

Rin smiled. "How are you doing, Sakumo-sensei?"

Obito groaned, "Isn't it White Fang or something like that?"

"I have said a million times that Sensei is good enough for me."

"But we grew up with Minato-sensei, so it's confusing. Say, how is the Yondaime doing?"

"He's hanging out with Kushina-san at a bar. For some reason, she likes to sing on Fridays and she's trying out some sake."

"I hope she's not like a drunk Tsunade", Rin sighed.

Obito yelled, "Hey, why do you have the Make-Out Paradise book with you? Jiraiya-sama isn't dead yet."

Sakumo mumbled, "I needed something to have for this job. Lost souls don't come everyday, you know."

"I thought you took this job to prevent Minato-sensei from dragging you to the nearest random bar for sake. I didn't know you read perverted books! You're married and you have a son!"

"This doesn't mean I'm perverted. Besides, when I found this book, someone had burned the book hot enough for a hole to form in the middle. This means that Jiraiya has some angry opponents against him."

The two pupils sat next to their sensei, watching the water. It was grey now, small rippling waves from the impact of the two previous shinobi walking on its surface. There was no moon or sun, so light came from the lanterns of the town. The sky, misty with clouds, moved slowly.

Obito stood up and spoke, "I have to get back. Even on vacation, I have to keep an eye on the town's activities. The boss wants a report from me. But don't worry; I'll come back to the house tonight in time for Rin's cooking."

"Is my cooking that bad?"

"No, but I like to make fun of how you prepare the food."

His smile was replaced with the ANBU wolf mask he had kept in his travel bag. He blended in with the surrounding nearby dark forest and left.

"I'm glad he's a member of the Messengers. It keeps him cautious and he can travel across the river whenever he wishes."

"Sensei, isn't he a squad captain? Who's his boss?"

"Remember Rin, the Messengers are similar to the ANBU. As a squad captain, he is overworked. His boss... well, she is the Eight Tails."

"Really… I didn't know that demons could be the bosses."

"She has a better connection with death itself. Legend says that she died once, but now has the power to control life and death. I think it's just a legend, but there are some facts. She's the only demon to be seen around these parts. There are nine squad captains, one for every demon.

"Legend also says that the Nine Tails and the Eight Tails are the real rulers over Konoha, not the Hokage. But don't forget, legend can lie too."

White Fang stood up, his attention caught across the river. He grabbed his black cloak and pulled the hood over his head.

"I'll talk to the both of you at the house. Another lost soul has come across the river and… well, duty calls."

Rin sighed and lay down on her back. She knew that this was just another day of her 'dead' life. There wasn't any need for medical ninjas in this place, the place where no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't die again.

"Maybe… maybe I should join Obito and the Messengers… to see the world again… and Kakashi."

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own _Naruto_!

This is the last chapter of my fanfic! I'm so happy! I can work on my other stories now!

I was going to put up an extra chapter on the conversations I had with and witnessed with everyone on the back stage. This idea isn't going to work because I have a feeling that everyone wants me to finish up this story already.

I'm not going to say that this story is complete yet because I wonder at what all of you want to say. If I put up an extra chapter, it will be to answer questions or… maybe put up what happened to everyone backstage.

I don't know, but everyone has to tell me before I end this story forever! I mean it!

This is part one of a project I am planning. So the other stories I will put up after this one will be part of the ultimate NARUTO STORY EVER!

See you all later in my other stories!


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